Wednesday, August 19, 1998 Last modified at 12:42 a.m. on Wednesday, August 19, 1998

Citizens voice suggestions for economic development

By BRIAN WILLIAMS

Avalanche-Journal

Suggestions for privately funding local economic development efforts surfaced during a Tuesday night town meeting at Groves Library.

About 50 people attended the meeting sponsored by a city-appointed economic development task force seeking citizen input on alternative funding to encourage business growth.

Lubbock voters defeated an economic development sales tax in January.

At this second economic development town meeting, citizens offered other funding options.

John Wilkerson said local businesses, particularly larger businesses, could contribute money for a private, non-profit economic development group to attract and retain businesses.

He said the organization could be administered by representatives of those businesses.

"Lubbock has a tremendous base of fine business people," Wilkerson said.

Wilkerson said he believes 80 percent of local growth comes from existing businesses and the city needs to take advantage of resources such as Texas Tech and facilities such as the former Reese Air Force Base and the Texas Instruments building.

Van Scoggin agreed with Wilkerson that private companies put more a stake in economic development.

"I think we ought to pursue the private angles," Scoggin said.

District 3 City Councilman J. David Nelson also had other plans for funding. He said when tax abatements on current businesses expire, the increase in property values should fund economic development.

He also said private citizens could donate money, possibly attached to a utility bill, for economic development. He said this would let the citizens feel that they have a better stake in the city's future.

Others said the city should relax its zoning ordinances and other policies to be more friendly to business, especially small business.

Ken Benedict said he wanted to see a five-to-10 year plan for economic development before discussing funding.

"I want to know what I'm buying," Benedict said.

While saying that the economic development sales tax was not an option, task force Chairman Barry Orr said about 350 other Texas cities have the tax and Lubbock needs to find another way to compete with them.

"The business of economic development has become big business in Texas," Orr said.

The task force will hold a another town meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday at Godeke Library, 6601 Quaker Ave.

The last two town meetings, which also start at 7 p.m., are scheduled for: